Pygmy Treeshrew

The Pygmy Treeshrew (Tupaia minor) is a species of treeshrew in the family Tupaiidae. It is found in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.^[2] Tupaia minor is also known as the pygmy tree shrew and is from the order Scandentia. The generic name is derived from tupai, a Malay word for squirrels (Nowak, R., 1999).

Distribution

T.minor is distributed in peninsular Thailand, peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, the Lingga Archipelago (Indonesia), Borneo, offshore islands of Laut (Indonesia), and Banggi and Balambangan (Malaysia). From the catalogue of mammal skins in Sarawak Museum, Kuching, Sarawak, more than 30 individuals of Tupaia minor have been collected from 1891 to 1991. The specimens were mostly caught in Mt Penrisen, Mt Dulit, Mt Poi, Gunung Gading, Bau, Ulu Baram, Saribas, Kuching and Forest Research.

The species has no fossil record (Jacobs, 1980).

Morphology and appearance

T. minor can be distinguished from other tree shrews by its appearance. It has upper body hair banded light and dark, giving a speckled olive-brown appearance. The upper parts are buffy and often have a reddish tinge towards the rear (Payne et al., 1985). The limbs are equal in length and have long claws. The maximum total length is about 450 mm, half of which is the tail (Feldhamer et al., 1999). The tail is long and thin, and its upper side is darker than the body (Payne et al., 1985).

Behavior, diet and reproduction

T. minor is diurnal (active in the daytime). It is often seen 3 to 8 metres above the ground, sometimes up to 20 metres, travelling along lianas or branches of small trees (Payne et al., 1985). They spend most of their time on the ground and in low bushes, nesting in tree roots and fallen timber. According to Lelevier et al., 2005, T. minor moves in a semiplantigrade posture which allows it to keep its centre of gravity close to the tree. The claws on its hands and feet are quite sharp and moderately curved, which is useful for climbing.

Tupaia minor is omnivorous; its diet includes insects and fruit. Scandentia has little economic significance because they do little damage to crops or plantations. However, it has been suggested that T. minor is a seed disperser for several Ficus fig species (Shanahan and Compton, 2000).

Litters of one to three young are born after a gestation period of 45 to 55 days. Their maximum lifespan is around nine to ten years (Lelevier et al., 2005).

References

Feldhamer, G.A., Drickamer, L.C., Vessey, S.H., and Merritt, J.F., 1999. Mammalogy : Adaptation, Diversity and Ecology. United States: McGraw-Hill. Pg. 202-203

Jacobs, L.L., 1980. Siwalik fossil tree shrews. Comparative biology and evolutionary relationships of tree shrews. New York: Plenum Press. Pg. 202-203

Karen M. Kooi, 1995. Catalogue of mammal skins in the Sarawak Museum, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS): Institute of Biodiversity and environmental conservation (IBEC). Pg. 192-194

Lelevier, M. and L. Olson. 2005. "Tupaia minor" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed January 7, 2009 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Tupaia_minor.html.

Nowak, R. 1999. Walker's Mammals of the World, Vol 1, Sixth Edition. Baltimore and London: The Johns Hopkins University Press. Pg.245

Payne, J., Francis, C. M. and Phillipps, K., 1985. Mammals of Borneo. The Sabah Society with World Wildlife Fund Malaysia. Pg. 163

Shanahan, M., S. Compton. 2000. Fig-Eating by Bornean Tree Shrews (Tupaia spp.): Evidence for a Role as Seed Dispersers. Wilson, D.E., and Reeder D.M., 1993. Mammal species of the world, second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press. Pg. 132

Lesser Tree shrew. Friends of the National Zoo. Smithsonian National Zoological Park. http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/SmallMammals/fact-lessertreeshrew.cfm Accessed date : 8 January 2009.